Women

Junior

First single title for HEAD’s Peng Shuai

July 27th, 2014

NanChang/China – 28th July, 2014:

HEAD Racquet Rebel Peng Shuai claimed the first single title of her career as she won the NanChang trophy over compatriot Liu Fangzhou 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. The WTA expands its tournament footprint in the fastest-growing region in the world for the sport.

Peng, who began the week ranked 50th, recommends the HEAD IG Extreme. The 28-year-old Chinese showed no mercy against a teenaged opponent, with the HEAD player showcasing her skills at the Zhonghong Jiangxi International Women's Open. Liu, an 18-year-old ranked 422, put on a combative display before going down the Racquet Rebel in a two-hour battle with Peng firing 10 aces and breaking four times.

"I'm very glad to become a WTA champion for the first time," said Peng. "There were so many people staying with me right until the end and I'm really thankful for the passion they all showed today. I think it's been a good week for Chinese tennis and I really hope that it will help more and more people to take up tennis."

HEAD player Pablo Cuevas capped an inspired month of July, claiming his second ATP World Tour title in three weeks at the Croatia Open in Umag. The Uruguayan, who promotes the HEAD Graphene Radical, could beat both top seed players on Sunday after rain washed out semi-final on Saturday. First Fabio Fognini (No. 1) in the semi-final. In the final he needed just 90 minutes for a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Tommy Robredo (No. 2). “I am so happy”, said Cuevas, “because I never expected to win two tournaments in a row!” He is now on a 13-match winning streak.

More HEAD players reached semi-finals in European clay ATP tournaments as [B]Marin Cilic in Umag where he was fighting hard but lost 6-7(10), 3-6 to Tommy Robredo. In Gstaad in the Swiss Alps, [B]Robin Haase missed his chance for a second straight final at the event when he was defeated by Juan Monaco 3-6, 6-7(4). Together with Andre Begemann from Germany, Haase captured the doubles title with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Rameez Junaid and Michal Mertinak.